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NWTTA NEWS VOLUME 19 • ISSUE 3 Are you interested in being on FEBRUARY 2018 Central Executive? Adrien Amirault, Executive Director keep the same benefits that they received as a teacher. The NWTTA needs dedicated members to exist as a viable The Central Executive meets face-to-face three times a year organization. One very important role that members can in Yellowknife, have a number of teleconference meetings fill is to serve in Central Executive positions. The Central (some scheduled and others as needed), attend the Annual Executive oversees the business and operations of the Meeting of Central Council (AMCC) in the spring and finally, Association on behalf of the membership. They also chair attend the Regional Orientation sessions for their region in various committees, as well as having decision making the fall. authority for the affairs of the Association. They are expected to write reports on the committee work Four of the positions are voluntary. Three of these (Vice- that they do, as well as receive reports from the staff of President, Secretary-Treasurer and Member-at-Large) are Central Office. For more specific requirements of each role voted in by the entire membership for two year terms every please refer to Bylaws 6 and 7 of the NWTTA Handbook. second March. The fourth volunteer position is the Regional Presidents’ Representative, who is selected by the sitting Any member can be nominated to run for the positions of Regional Presidents annually in October. Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer or Member-at-Large. The Regional Presidents’ Representative must be a sitting The position of President is a full-time paid position. The Regional President. President is also voted in by the entire membership for a two year term in March. The President is only able to serve It is a requirement that a member nominated for the positon two terms, for a total of four years. Remuneration for the of President have prior Regional and Central Executive President is 150% of the class 6 step 12 grid placement of experience. the GNWT contract. If the President is from a community Nominations are due by February 15, 2018. If you are outside of Yellowknife, relocation to Yellowknife from their interested in running and have further questions, please home community will be provided. The person may also contact someone at Central Office, or call an existing receive a small housing allowance if they need to keep a Central Executive Member for specific advice on their roles. residence in the community they were teaching in. There are Contact information is on the back page of the newsletter also a few differences in pay and benefits depending on the and in your NWTTA Pocket Planner as well as on the NWTTA NWTTA contract group they are coming from. Basically they website. NWTTA NEWS • FEBRUARY 2018 1 INSIDE: Update from the President Survey Results Northern Lights Are you interested in being on Central Executive? 1 Feedback on STIP STIP - how is it working in 2017-2018? Fraser Oliver, President Online member survey conducted January 23-30, 2018. Full results have Update from the President bewen published in Member Area of NWTTA website. Feedback on STIP 2 In my many meetings with the Department of Survey Results: STIP - how is it Education and Superintendents the one topic that STIP time is divided into: Meet working in 2017-2018? 3 takes the lion’s share of our agenda is Strengthening • - 50% Teacher Self-Directed Professional Duties Justin Northern Lights - Justin Heron 3 Teachers Instructional Practices (STIP). The NWTTA • - 50% Collaborative Professional Learning Practices Heron has heard from our members about the Personal Collaborative Learning Activities (Superintendent/Principal directed) from Fort Smith for STIP - What is happening Professional Planning side of STIP (Days without (Fort Smith across the NWT 4 Generally speaking, has the identified STIP time during the current students) where 89% of our members have told us region) Kate Powell: Canada’s that they feel the improvements in teacher wellness 2017-2018 school year been split 50/50 as described above? Outstanding Principal 2018 6 has been felt from slight to significant. As school Q. Where did you grow up? Conference Corner 6 staffs and superintendents start to plan for next year’s Collaborative I grew up in Fort Smith and Winnipeg. School Profile 7 Learning Activities side of STIP, member feedback was needed. A report card of how teachers were feeling about these Collaborative Learning Q. What made you decide to become Member Engagement Leads to a teacher? Stronger NWTTA 9 Activities was necessary. I became a teacher to give back to my Northern Lights - Steve Elms 10 The NWTTA has heard through member meetings that, “yes”, there had community. Food First Foundation 10 been some successes, but there were also some challenges throughout the 2017-2018 school year. The NWTTA decided to survey the membership to How would you rate your satisfaction with the COLLABORATIVE Q. What do you teach? Wellness 11 have a better understanding of the successes or challenges, so if needed, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PRACTICES time at your school? I am currently teaching Cree class Northern Lights - positive adjustments can be made as we move forward. Members also had Very Very at Joseph Burr Tyrrell Elementary Lorna Jones-Martin 11 Region Responded Satisfied Okay Dissatisfied an opportunity to give anecdotal comments with their responses. Satisfied Dissatisfied School. You’re coming to the conference CSFTNO 44% 8.3% 50% 25% 8.3% 8.3% February 19-21! Here are some As well as the NWTTA member survey, superintendents were asked to Beaufort-Delta 47% 27% 28.6% 23.8% 12.7% 7.9% Q. What do you enjoy most about things you need to know 12 share some details of what types of activities were occurring in their Dehcho 58% 24.2% 21.2% 27.3% 18.2% 9.1% teaching? 2018 NWT Educators’ Conference regions during the collaborative learning time of STIP. The idea was I enjoy seeing the the joy on my Countdown to February 19-21 13 Fort Smith 46% 57.1% 23.8% 19.1% 0 0 to share what was taking place across the different regions and give Sahtu 34% 14.3% 23.8% 38.1% 19% 4.8% students’ faces when they learn The story behind William opportunities to schools that might be doing similar collaborative learning South Slave 54% 25.7% 35.9% 20.5% 12.8% 5.1% new words and phrases in the Cree McDonald School Anti-Bullying to connect and share activities and findings. These details of what was Video 14 Tlicho 43% 51.7% 20.7% 24.1% 3.5% 0 language, also when they tell stories shared by superintendents can be seen on pages 4 & 5 of this newsletter. of being able to talk to their family in Last Call - China Odyssey Tour 15 YCS 68% 12.5% 28.1% 31.3% 17.2% 10.9% the language. Understanding Your Professional Other topics discussed in meetings with Department of Education and YK1 36% 25.3% 38% 30.4% 6.3% 0 Judgement - A Perspective from Superintendents include: NWT-wide 46% 26% 30.2% 27.1% 11.4% 5.3% Q. How do you engage your the Elementary Teachers’ students? Federation of Ontario 17 • Social Media attacks on members SUCCESSES - what are some successes of the STIP Collaborative Professional Learning Practices time at your school? I engage students by using a lot of How do I get involved with the • Teacher Recruitment and Retention, NWTTA? 18 Brainstormed ideas to engage parents---as a result 3X increase in parental engagement humour and respecting who they are. • Student Success Initiative (SSI) Brainstormed ideas to increase literacy and aboriginal language engagement--as a Northern Lights - Jessie Campbell 18 • Housing result literacy levels are up and more kids are engaged with their language. Rewarding To Do My Part Holiday Meals in Norman Wells 19 I chose to become a Cree teacher • Video surveillance in the classroom - Developing a policy CHALLENGES - what are some challenges of the STIP Collaborative because my grandmother worked Northern Lights - Gizelle Gaudon 19 Professional Learning Practices time at your school? Hay River and Fort Smith are completing the final tasks as they are hard revitalizing the Chipewyan Catching Up 21 The board level collaborative work is not very helpful. They have us working in getting ready to host the 2018 Arctic Winter Games. Exciting times for language, and my grandfather was a GNWT Education Leave 21 vertically integrated groups within our school, while dictating how we spend this time. fluent Cree speaker and I wanted to both communities and I know many teachers are involved in coaching, As a JK/K teacher, I am forced to collaborate on curriculum with the Grade 1/2 teacher. Northern Lights - Angie Fabien 23 organizing or volunteering for these games. Best of luck to both host There is not much common curriculum. It is more distracting than helpful. honour both of my grandparents. I love what I do working with kids and Newsletter Trivia 23 communities. Go Team NWT! SUGGESTIONS - what are some suggestions for change to the Aboriginal language and culture, it is 2016-2018 Central Executive 24 Mahsi Cho Collaborative Professional Learning Practices time at your school? very rewarding to do my part to teach Central Office Contact 24 To keep improving our use of it, we need to build the best teams we can and keep a new generation of Cree speakers. sharing and enhancing clarity of what effective collaboration looks like. We also need to ensure that paperwork is kept at a minimum so that as much time as possible is spent on improving teacher workload (the original reason for these days) and enhancing student learning efficiently.

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